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It may not seem that long ago when we were treated to some new material from the Hackney artist, Mikill Pane. So, I was a very pleasant surprise to hear about a new, and importantly, free, EP arriving on Sunday. Not only is it free for anyone to download, it also features other great artists, such as Example, Ed Sheeran and P Money, which can only ever extend a track’s quality.

Kicking off with the Example featuring track, ‘Andy Warhol’, playing on the idea that everyone will be famous at some point, for 15 minutes. “The rich have got the money, but the poor have got the power, what you gonna do with your quarter of an hour?” You can always rely on Elliot giving a great hook on his featured tracks, but it’s rare that we actually get a verse as well, and I could only think back to the ‘What We Made’ days of Example – which I do kind of miss. However, the two together produce a great track in ‘Andy Warhol’, including, in my view, Mikill’s best lyrics in the EP, “I started with a track like a rapping Dwayne Chambers, they said that it was dope, and that’s how I became famous,” being my personal favourite.

Slowing the pace down, is the second track ’25 Tracks’, featuring the exquisite vocals of Ed Sheeran, “You can find me floating sky-bound, when you tell me it’s my time now”. Will there be a review of a Mikill Pane without mentioning Ed? Doubt it. Obviously the two combined their supreme talents to create the alternate version of ‘The A Team’, in ‘Little Lady’, which will always make me stop and listen, and I’m afraid this is another track which will affect my simple levels of concentration.

The third track on the ‘You Guest It’ EP, is ‘Heart & Sole’, detailing sex and shoes, when put simply. And again, has a great hook vocal feature, this time in Paloma Faith. A bit of a surprise this one, but a really effective one, like really effective – the lyric delivery from Mikill really combines with Paloma’s vocals! “Even though Mikill Pane’s not a household name, it kind of rolls off the tongue.” With this level of material, it soon will be.

Moving onto ‘Paper Princess’. “There’s this picture of you and I, and thats the one thing I’ve been left with,” at this point you’ll be thinking this may develop into a heartfelt love track. Er, “On Wednesday, it’ll be gone cause that’s when the dustbins are collected.” Adore that start, and to be honest, the rest of the track too. The guitar strums surround Mikill’s lyrics perfectly, and when added with the always brilliant Yasmin’s chorus, it makes for a fourth great track in a row. On a roll then?

A roll which continues. “Join P Money, Fem Fel and I, on some ignorant shit…” A contender for my favourite track off the EP, ‘Hey Baby’. Featuring Fem Fel and P Money. Oh, and Katie Price. Yeah, you know, Jordan. Yes, Jordan. No, really, Jordan… Yeah. With her providing the loop of ‘Hey Baby’ surrounded by the best hook on the EP, “I’m not your baby, I’m not your man, you’ve had one too many JDs, I don’t think you understand.” This track contains actual ‘laugh-out-loud’ lyrics, beginning with Mikill, “As far as women go, wouldn’t exactly say jigalo,” and so many others I could quote, so so many.

Now for the unfortunate end. ‘Taking Hold’ ft. Jakwob and Rocky NTI. “I hope that when I’m dead and gone, I leave a legacy of songs behind, and my tombstone says ‘Here lies a man who said the shit that was on his mind.” Think this can sum up the EP; “said the shit that was on his mind.” Similar in pace and style to the ’25 Tracks’, but the added works of Jakwob ensure it has it’s own feel.

Every single track on this EP is magnificent. Every feature is meaningful, and not done for effect on drawing people in. Sure, seeing Ed Sheeran and Example on the tracklist will do that, but their respective features are actually very very good. Same goes for Mikill. Such a cliché, but he really is getting better and better with each release, and I cannot wait ’till the debut album drops this year!

Right, I’ll reel off all the stuff about me not being a DJ or producer, so remember to not expect high quality, even medium at some points. Just try and enjoy the *very good* selection of tracks in this mix. And remember, you can’t slate it, because Jesus wouldn’t like it.

No real reason for this mix, other than it’s what Jesus would’ve wanted from me. And much like the theory of Jesus and Christianity, my mix is also a little rough round the edges.

Right, I somehow missed this a couple nights ago. Premiered on Mistajam’s show, this is the truly brilliant remix of Flux Pavilion’s collaboration single with Example. The incredible drop only adds to the excellence of the original track, which I was weirdly one of the first people to bring you it. Anyway, lay back, and enjoy:

The track, with other remixes is released on 30th April, so not long now! Make sure you BUY it.

In no way am I a DJ or producer, no way at all. But I thought, as I had a spare 30 minutes, that I’d do a little mix for the page. It’s done in one go, or ‘one take’ (hence the ending), and was done completely on my iPad, with each track having been purchased for real money off of iTunes, so there’s no real copyright shit to moan about (I think), anyway, try and enjoy it. Little rough around the edges, but the tracks chosen are fucking brilliant. Old, new, but all brilliant. Goes a little shit in the middle, but being honest, I like the beginning and end. Hope it’s alright.

As a sidenote, this is in celebration of reaching 15,000 views! So thank you very much, even if you hated what you read/listened/watched on my page, you count as a view, so thanks I guess. Love to you all… Enjoy this if at all possible, and even download it for free if you fancy:

(If the sound quality is a little awful, I don’t know why, but I’ll try correct or improve it sometime)

It’s fair to say I’ve seen a few Example sets – last night happened to be my 6th, and as much of a cliché as it will undoubtedly sound, each one gets better and better. Last time it was at Radio 1’s Student Tour at Hertfordshire Uni, so this time promised to be very very different. I’d never been to the iconic Royal Albert Hall, so I really didn’t know what to expect. I did laugh before I even got in, however. Greeted by the ticket woman, who whilst processing mine, asked, “Is this Example guy from America?” I took my wristband and replied, “Er, nah, Hammersmith.” But as you take the steps up into the standing area, you can’t help but strain your neck to see the unbelievably high galleries towering over you. This was going to be special.

With Fenech-Soler opening, they showcased just why they’re picking up a lot of attention. It may have just been me, but I couldn’t helped but think of them a turbo charged, darkened, electric Coldplay. If you hate Coldplay, then you’ll despise that comparison, but well, that’s what came to mind. Anyway, the ridiculously catchy hooks, mixed with the brilliantly produced, occasionally dark, beats, and proper energy exerted from the band, made for a great start to the night. You could really tell they were enjoying it, and there were emotional ties with the charity for them, after what happened in 2011. If you don’t know much about them, make sure you do soon, their second album will definitely be one to watch!

With it being Teenage Cancer Trust’s week of entertainment at The Royal Albert Hall, the evening took a few moments to watch a very moving video on the sort of people the amazing charity can, and does help. Then followed by another moving moment, this time from a live speech on stage from another person who thanked everyone for donating, and explained all the brilliant work Teenage Cancer Trust did for her and others.

Then on came Baller B, Example’s tour DJ, who played a pretty amazing mix of tracks, from Knife Party, to Jay Z and Kanye, to Flux Pavilion. To be honest, the longer I think about it, the more amazing tracks I remember him playing. Without saying a word, just hand and hair movements, he got everyone, let’s just say a little excited to see the main man himself, Example.

As Sheldrake, Johnny Drum Machine and David Stewart all took to The Albert Hall stage, amid a more post-puberty One Direction screaming environment, then opening track began playing out, ‘Skies Don’t Lie‘. Elliot ventured onto the stage, a stage which had only the night before, hosted Paul McCartney, and un-surprisingly began giving everything, as always.

Through a mix of the old tracks like the mentally ravey ‘See The Sea‘ and ‘Hooligans‘, including the Spor remix of that classic track, and the newer tracks like ‘Never Had A Day‘, ‘Midnight Run‘, and ‘Playing In The Shadows‘, Example and the band got the typically bouncy crowd response to whatever was heard. All but two people near me, who offered very occasional muscle movement, but who cares about them.

I don’t need to go through each song in the set, and tell you why it was amazing in its own way. Because it’d take ages, and you’d get bored, and or, jealous for not being there. But that was the one of the best atmospheres I’ve seen at an Example gig, closely behind his huge one at V Festival in the summer just gone. The atmosphere was obviously helped by all the energy put in by the 4 guys on stage, added to Example’s unique way to get everyone lightened up, at one point shouting, “Let’s do this for Queen Victoria!” Cue massive bouncing from everyone in the standing to the very top of the galleries.

At one stage, Elliot brought up The Sun’s comments about how he should be worried, with being in the shadows of Paul McCartney’s performance from the night before, they said “You wouldn’t want to be in Example’s trainers at London’s Royal Albert Hall tonight…” He noted that Paul is an undisputed legend, but said he thought we as a crowd could do better. Clearly I wasn’t at McCartney’s show, but I can’t imagine that at any point there was a crowd reaction like there was with ‘Changed The Way You Kissed Me‘.

The whole atmosphere of the night was what made it so unique. You could tell it meant a lot for all of them to be on that famous stage, giving off such a positive vibe, which suited the charities evening very well. It wasn’t a ‘guilt trip’ like Comic and Sport Relief can be on occasion. Obviously there were moving mentions of the brilliant work they do, but it felt just like a proper uplifting gig! The charity is a fully meaningful one, and the more the money they make, the more lives of people around my age that suffer from cancer, will be improved, without comparison. It was made clear how effective their work is, so much so that I ended up emptying my pockets into the donation buckets at the end.

To Capital FM, NME, American Airlines and all the other companies involved in supporting the shows Teenage Cancer Trust are throwing on at The Albert Hall, well done. So, yeah, everything about last night was pretty much perfect, and if you’re off to see Example on his upcoming huge arena tour, then seriously, you’re in for such a treat. It really is “opera at its finest.”

Right, just then I gave you the way to download Example’s Little Noise Sessions acoustic set. I also mentioned he’d put out some other older material earlier. I foolishly didn’t realise it was up for free too! So here it is.

This set includes some really top notch tracks, with features on with Giggs and D Double E, to DJ Wire & Example mixes. Well worth the download! Note that some of the demos aren’t availbable for download, but you can still listen to them, and therefore increase your enjoyment levels on this sunny Monday afternoon. Listen to my personal favourite of the set below…

Don Diablo – Instant Replay feat. Example (2009)

If you’ve been following Example’s social networks recently, you should have seen that a vast amount of older music, including Live Lounges, mixtapes, remixes, all of that stuff.

And earlier today, went up a free download of a gig Example played back in November. Not really an everyday gig for Example though. This acoustic set was held in a church over six nights and hosted by Jo Whiley, and including a very special cover of Green Day’s ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ (listen below). So, it’s a pretty unique thing to have been in attenednce at. But you now can have that experience! (sort of)